Freethought & Rationalism Archive

DarkBronzePlant · 01-02-2002, 08:48 AM

Well, another Xmas has come and gone. Hopefully everyone out there remembered the true "reason for the season"... the Winter Solstace, of course!

Alas, there always are those Christians out there who think that Xmas was actually created to celebrate Jesus' birthday. I was among such Christians, as my girlfriend and I went up north to visit her family. We did the obligatory go-to-church-for-Xmas-service thing. I actually don't mind going to church once in awhile; you can catch a few good tidbits if you pay attention. Like this one hymn the congregation was singing... it talked about baby Jesus, and described him as "a baby being born to fool the world's eyes." I almost choked on my own amazement as I quietly pointed out this rare bit of Christian honesty to my girlfriend.

Anyhow, did anyone else have to go to church services over Xmas? Any amusing anecdotes?

01-02-2002, 08:58 AM

Yes, I saw an advent wreath with four white candles. This signifies that there was no hope for them! Saw a nativity scene with sheep in the stable which is the perfect set-up for tragedy (no Easter) to follow. These are bad omens and will keep Americans in the dark for many years to come.

Quite funny really to see blind people stumble in the dark while busy trying to trip each other.

Amos

[ January 02, 2002: Message edited by: Amos ]</p>

Liquidrage · 01-02-2002, 09:11 AM

Quite funny really to see blind people stumble in the dark trying to trip each other.

How is that funny?
Blindness is not funny nor is symbolic blindness.
Nor would it be funny if the blind purposefull hurt each other.

IvanK · 01-02-2002, 10:06 AM

Attended the first part of Christmas Eve Mass with my wife. The preist, usually a fairly reasonable fellow, launched into a screed about a letter he said he'd received from Jesus complaining that "the laws" kept creche scenes out of public schools and such. Try the First Amendment, Father.

Maverick · 01-02-2002, 10:45 AM

Yep, I attended xmas eve church with my wife and kids. I tried to watch the xmas play that my wife was playing the piano for, but I was too busy trying to keep my 3 year old and 4 month old entertained.

I spent the second half of the service downstairs with my 3 year old at the birthday party for Jesus. Lame all the way around, but the cake was pretty good. I felt like pointing out that they were celebrating the wrong date for his b-day, but I restrained myself.

Some good came out of the whole trip. Every time we pack both kids up and try to make it through a church service, my wife is reminded what a pain in the ass it is. Result: The kids stay home with me on Sundays

.

Maverick

01-02-2002, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Liquidrage:
<strong>Quite funny really to see blind people stumble in the dark trying to trip each other.

How is that funny?
Blindness is not funny nor is symbolic blindness.
Nor would it be funny if the blind purposefull hurt each other.</strong>

The funny part of it is that every detail in Catholic sybolism has a meaning that is based on truth. We perceive this with the eye of our soul and that is how we can have communion with the saints in heaven (icons and symbols are just as inspired as the bible). If this symbol is changed it cannot harmonize with truth and so therefore it becomes a misleading artifact that obscures the message. It is in effort to be different that these symbols are changed while they are adopted to be similar. The same is true with the iota argument between transubstantiation and consustantiation. I find it tragic but it might not trouble others.

Viti · 01-02-2002, 02:14 PM

Went to a Baptist church to see my niece sing. They had the worst bell choir I have ever heard (I played bells back in my xian days), had some horrible "poetry reading" type dialogue before the playacted manger scenes

"Mary was a watcher in the night.....if you feel alone and scared keep watching you will see the light" and "The Magi were watchers in the night...if you seek for truth keeping watching and you will see the light"

Then...and I laughed out loud...they showed some sappy video on a huge screen above the altar about a single mother on a low income trying to buy her kids Christmas presents...and the nice xian mechanic who fixed her car for free in "the spirit of giving"...the whole room is sobbing and hubby and I were stifling giggles. It was so overdone and obvious emotional blackmail. I was like, well shouldn't they buy some food for the poor rather than spend money to produce a bad video??

DarkBronzePlant · 01-02-2002, 03:01 PM

All good anecdotes.

I forgot to mention the song that one of the congregation members sang & played guitar to. Every time we visit my girlfriend's family & get dragged to church, this guy always seems to be scheduled to perform a song. On the Xmas service, he was scheduled to play the same song he did during the Xmas service two years ago... a song called "Mary Did You Know?" (Has anyone else heard that song? I've only ever heard it when this guy plays it.) It's supposed to be a fairly haunting, emotional song that asks Mary if she really knew the implications of giving birth to Jesus ("Mary did you know that boy you delivered would someday deliver you?", etc.) As everyone else sat enraptured by the tune, my girlfriend & I quietly entertained ourselves by making up alternate lyrics ("Mary did you know your little lie to cover up your affair would someday fool the whole damned world?" etc.)

Oh, and then there were the little clippings from evergreen trees that the church handed out to the congregation, "to symbolize god's undying love for us all." I wonder if they realized that the clippings would be dead, brown and crumbly in three days?

01-02-2002, 08:48 AM	#1
DarkBronzePlant Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: San Francisco, CA USA Posts: 3,568	Xmas church stories Well, another Xmas has come and gone. Hopefully everyone out there remembered the true "reason for the season"... the Winter Solstace, of course! Alas, there always are those Christians out there who think that Xmas was actually created to celebrate Jesus' birthday. I was among such Christians, as my girlfriend and I went up north to visit her family. We did the obligatory go-to-church-for-Xmas-service thing. I actually don't mind going to church once in awhile; you can catch a few good tidbits if you pay attention. Like this one hymn the congregation was singing... it talked about baby Jesus, and described him as "a baby being born to fool the world's eyes." I almost choked on my own amazement as I quietly pointed out this rare bit of Christian honesty to my girlfriend. Anyhow, did anyone else have to go to church services over Xmas? Any amusing anecdotes?

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01-02-2002, 08:58 AM	#2
Amos Guest Posts: n/a	Yes, I saw an advent wreath with four white candles. This signifies that there was no hope for them! Saw a nativity scene with sheep in the stable which is the perfect set-up for tragedy (no Easter) to follow. These are bad omens and will keep Americans in the dark for many years to come. Quite funny really to see blind people stumble in the dark while busy trying to trip each other. Amos [ January 02, 2002: Message edited by: Amos ]</p>

01-02-2002, 09:11 AM	#3
Liquidrage Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Tallahassee Posts: 1,301	Quite funny really to see blind people stumble in the dark trying to trip each other. How is that funny? Blindness is not funny nor is symbolic blindness. Nor would it be funny if the blind purposefull hurt each other.

01-02-2002, 10:06 AM	#4
IvanK Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Posts: 2,016	Attended the first part of Christmas Eve Mass with my wife. The preist, usually a fairly reasonable fellow, launched into a screed about a letter he said he'd received from Jesus complaining that "the laws" kept creche scenes out of public schools and such. Try the First Amendment, Father.

01-02-2002, 10:45 AM	#5
Maverick Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Green Bay, Wisconsin Posts: 6,367	Yep, I attended xmas eve church with my wife and kids. I tried to watch the xmas play that my wife was playing the piano for, but I was too busy trying to keep my 3 year old and 4 month old entertained. I spent the second half of the service downstairs with my 3 year old at the birthday party for Jesus. Lame all the way around, but the cake was pretty good. I felt like pointing out that they were celebrating the wrong date for his b-day, but I restrained myself. Some good came out of the whole trip. Every time we pack both kids up and try to make it through a church service, my wife is reminded what a pain in the ass it is. Result: The kids stay home with me on Sundays . Maverick

01-02-2002, 02:14 PM	#7
Viti Contributor Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Down South Posts: 12,879	Went to a Baptist church to see my niece sing. They had the worst bell choir I have ever heard (I played bells back in my xian days), had some horrible "poetry reading" type dialogue before the playacted manger scenes "Mary was a watcher in the night.....if you feel alone and scared keep watching you will see the light" and "The Magi were watchers in the night...if you seek for truth keeping watching and you will see the light" Then...and I laughed out loud...they showed some sappy video on a huge screen above the altar about a single mother on a low income trying to buy her kids Christmas presents...and the nice xian mechanic who fixed her car for free in "the spirit of giving"...the whole room is sobbing and hubby and I were stifling giggles. It was so overdone and obvious emotional blackmail. I was like, well shouldn't they buy some food for the poor rather than spend money to produce a bad video??

01-02-2002, 03:01 PM	#8
DarkBronzePlant Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: San Francisco, CA USA Posts: 3,568	All good anecdotes. I forgot to mention the song that one of the congregation members sang & played guitar to. Every time we visit my girlfriend's family & get dragged to church, this guy always seems to be scheduled to perform a song. On the Xmas service, he was scheduled to play the same song he did during the Xmas service two years ago... a song called "Mary Did You Know?" (Has anyone else heard that song? I've only ever heard it when this guy plays it.) It's supposed to be a fairly haunting, emotional song that asks Mary if she really knew the implications of giving birth to Jesus ("Mary did you know that boy you delivered would someday deliver you?", etc.) As everyone else sat enraptured by the tune, my girlfriend & I quietly entertained ourselves by making up alternate lyrics ("Mary did you know your little lie to cover up your affair would someday fool the whole damned world?" etc.) Oh, and then there were the little clippings from evergreen trees that the church handed out to the congregation, "to symbolize god's undying love for us all." I wonder if they realized that the clippings would be dead, brown and crumbly in three days?

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